Fate
by kmsutton92
Summary: The final battle is done, but it seems that where everything should have been easier, the lives of our favorite couple have just gotten worse... my second multichapter fic, HarryGinny of course.
1. It's Over

**Fate**

**Chapter 1- It's Over**

The battle had ended, the war was done. It was over. A blood red sunset could be seen on the horizon and only two people were left standing in the secluded valley where it had all taken place.

She looked at him, the dying sun reflecting off of her flaming red hair. He looked at her, his emerald eyes drawn automatically to her bright brown ones.

She moved toward him, stepping over the bodies of the dead and the fallen. He met her halfway, blood running down his face, leaking from a cut just above his eyebrow. She raised her wand and healed the cut; it seemed to be a gift to her.

They stood together, the two lone survivors, this duo was all that remained of the quartet that and entered the war. They looked at each other, both teenagers, neither of them even eighteen. They stood alone in the sea of bodies that was the battlefield.

Without a word they closed the distance between each other. He held her close as tears fell down her face. Neither of them stopped to think that some of the people on the ground surrounding them could need help; they only had eyes for each other.

Her tears were for the fallen, for her brother and her best friend. The tears were for the man in front of her, who had completed his mission and defeated the Dark Lord. It really was over.

He held her tightly, burying his face in her flaming red hair, taking in the familiar scent of roses as the sky was cloaked in darkness.

"_I love you."_

Her voice was whispered, a choked cry in the dead of night.

"_I love you too, but you shouldn't be here. I told you not to come."_

He sounded angry, but the young woman didn't wince or flinch. She only held him tighter.

"_I tried, but I couldn't handle the waiting and worrying, so I showed up to fight. You have no right to be angry."_

He sighed.

"_I'm not, it's just- you could have died. I don't know what I would have done if you'd-"_

By then he'd lifted his head out of her hair to look at her and she placed a finger over his lips to silence him as his voice cracked.

"_But I didn't."_

Her lips met his. Neither of them was sure who had moved first, and neither of them cared. One of her hands moved to the back of his head, keeping him close. He kissed her hungrily, pulling her closer to him, his hand on the small of her back. Their passion increased as the seconds ticked by, and after a few more seconds she pulled back, resting her forehead on his shoulder. He took the time to look around.

"_Ginny… where are Ron and Hermione?"_

Her heart dropped. He didn't know, and she hated to be the one to have to tell him.

"_They're dead Harry. Malfoy got them both."_

Her voice was shaky and she bit her lip as the tears welled up in her eyes again. Harry could only stare at her trying to take it in. It was like a wave of cold had washed over him. Ron and Hermione had died.

"_What happened to Malfoy?"_

Harry had already decided that Malfoy would pay, oh yes; he was definitely going to pay.

"_He's dead too. He was hit by a stray curse from a Death Eater… a curse that was aimed at me."_

Her voice faltered as she said it and he pulled her closer, drawing her into him and holding her tightly. She could have died…and it would have been his fault. Ron and Hermione did die, and it was his fault…

Ginny buried her head in his shoulder again, crying away her fears. Before either of them could do anything else, Aurors flooded the area. Harry and Ginny released each other, and allowed the Aurors to lead them away from the site of the battle. As they walked, their hands connected and their fingers became laced together. It was over.


	2. Seperate Ways

**Chapter 2- Separate Ways**

Mrs. Weasley was still crying, and Ginny was beginning to think that the tears would never stop. It had been this way for the past week, ever since they'd returned, but Ron and Hermione hadn't. She walked past her mother's bedroom and down the hall. She paused in front of the door that had once belonged to Fred and George; it was a door that she knew well. She knocked quietly.

"_Come in Ginny."_

How he knew it was her she didn't know, he just did. Ginny opened the door, and her heart dropped.

His things were packed in bags, as though he was planning on leaving soon. Harry was lying on the bed with his arms behind his head. Ginny could see the sun setting through the window that was situated above the bed. One look at his face told her that he was upset about something.

"_What's wrong love?"_

He looked up at her, not wanting to do this, but knowing her had to.

"_I can't stay here anymore Ginny."_

She nodded.

"_That's understandable. I wouldn't want to stay here either, not with Mum crying constantly."_

Harry shook his head.

"_No Gin. You're not understanding me. I- I think we should go our separate ways."_

His voice was low and he wasn't looking at her. If he had been looking at her, he would have seen that she was looking at him like he was crazy.

"_Harry… what are you talking about? We need each other, now more than ever. We don't have anyone else. Not anymore."_

He sighed again.

"_I'm sorry Gin, but I have to do this. I love you Ginny, but I think it'll be better for the both of us if we go separate ways."_

She glared at him, struggling not to cry.

"_How will it be better? If you love me, how is it better for us to be apart?"_

He took her hands into his.

"_Gin… there's too much drama, too many painful memories between us. I'm sorry Ginny, really."_

She looked away, still battling the tears. He wanted to leave, he wanted to leave her, to forget about her to leave The Burrow, his second home, behind… Suddenly, she understood what this was about.

"_I know why you're doing this."_

She was looking at him again, before he could reply she stood up and turned on the light. Night had fallen, but neither of them had noticed. She returned to her spot next to him and she spoke, his eyes flickering to her lips every few seconds.

"_Oh really? Tell me then."_

She smiled, but it was a twisted, contorted smile.

"_You want to forget. You want to forget about your past, about Ron and Hermione. That's why. You want to forget and you can't do that if you're with me. You can't do that if you're in this house. I'm a living reminder of them, so is this house. Leaving won't help you Harry. You'll never forget."_

He stared at her, knowing she was right about why he was leaving, well half-right. He stood up, letting go of her hands and picking up his bags.

"_You may be right Ginny. I probably won't ever forget them, but I can try."_

He kissed her once, and then left the room. Ginny stared at the door, then jumped up and followed him, catching up in the garden.

"_So that's it then? You're just going to leave? You don't love me enough to stay?"_

He dropped his bags and pulled her into a hug.

"_You know that's not true love. I love you Ginny, I always will. I know you don't understand it, but I have to leave you, at least for now."_

Ginny buried her head in his shoulder.

"_It wasn't supposed to be this way. You promised me that we'd be together after the war. You promised you wouldn't leave me again after he was gone. You promised."_

Harry sighed, holding her tighter and stroking her hair.

"_I know I did love, but I have to break that promise."_

The tears that she'd been holding back finally escaped, falling onto his shoulder as he told her that.

"_I love you, you know that right? I will always love you."_

His heart was breaking just listening to her. He hated to hear her say those things, knowing that she was trying to draw him back in, trying to get him to reconsider; he hated to see her this way. He hated hurting her, and he didn't want her to cry.

"_I know baby, I love you too. That will never change."_

Ginny pulled away and looked at him.

"_Where will you go?"_

He offered her a half-smile.

"_I can't tell you Ginny. If I do you'll follow me. I've already learned that."_

He kissed her; it was a soft, gentle kiss. He was trying to assure her that he loved her, trying to tell her that he always would, he was trying to do so many things with that one kiss, but none of the messages made it through to Ginny. In her mind he was just trying to torture her, leave her longing for more before he left, and it was working.

He pulled away and picked up his bags again.

"_Don't forget that I love you."_

He didn't give her a chance to reply. He turned on the spot and vanished, leaving a heart-broken Ginny behind.


	3. Memories and Meetings

**Chapter 3- Memories and Meetings**

Normally, a twenty-second birthday is fun. Normally, all birthdays are fun, but when a broken heart has destroyed your spirit and left you with no one to turn to, your twenty-second birthday, like the rest of them, is miserable.

"_Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me… who says that it's happy? Happy birthday to me."_

A woman's voice could be heard muttering bitterly as she drew her cloak tighter around herself. It was unusually cold for August, and the skies were threatening rain. Sure enough, the water began pouring form the sky and she cursed, pulling her hood up to shield her flaming red hair from the icy liquid.

"_Some birthday this is turning out to be."_

She opened the door to the Leaky Cauldron and looked around, for once it wasn't full.

"_Good afternoon Miss Weasley. I assume you're just passing through?"_

Ginny shook her head.

"_For once, I'm not. Could I have a Butterbeer?"_

She was handed one.

"_Rough day?"_

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"_It's my birthday."_

There was no reply, as another customer had just entered and the bartender had hurried off to ask what they wanted. Ginny looked around and sighed as she sipped her drink. Everywhere she turned there was a painful memory, even in Diagon Alley.

"_Damn you Potter."_

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Memories, they were everywhere. All of them were painful, especially the happy ones. Memories of his late teen years, memories of the girl that he'd left five years previously. The smallest thing could spark a memory. A book represented Hermione studying late into the night. Maroon seemed to symbolize Ron, as did the position of Keeper on a quidditch team. Fire, roses, long hair, every woman he passed was a very painful reminder of Ginny. She had been so strong willed, so passionate, independent…

"_Damn it Ginny."_

She had been right; he couldn't escape his past, because it was everywhere. He cursed as it began to rain and hurried along, passing Fred and George's shop. He never went in there, for fear they'd mention seeing him to Ginny.

He entered the Leaky Cauldron, trying to push Ginny out of his mind. Today was her birthday… He looked over at the bar, where a young woman was sipping a Butterbeer. He sat next to her, not looking or paying attention to her. He couldn't see her anyway, she had her hood up.

"_Oh my! Hello Mr. Potter! Could I interest you in something to drink?"_

The barmaid had quickly become flustered at his arrival and he merely nodded.

"_Butterbeer Please."_

Next to him, Ginny had frozen. He was there. He was next to her. Had he thought about her at all over the past five years? Did he still care? Did he still love her? She knew how to find out.

With a low sigh she sat her Butterbeer down and lowered her hood, shaking her hair out over her shoulders.


	4. I Do Care

**Chapter 4- I Do Care**

Harry nearly choked on his Butterbeer at the sight of her. He swallowed hard, not even noticing as the liquid made its way down his throat. His mouth had gone dry. She was gorgeous, even more beautiful than she'd been when he'd left her. Her soft red hair hadn't been flattened by the water. It was longer now, and had evolved into soft curls that framed her face and tumbled down over her shoulders. Her face was pale, and still dotted with freckles, making her seem younger than she was.

As she turned to look at him he found himself drawn to her eyes. Gone was the sparkle, that twinkle that had always been there, shining brightly only for him. Instead her eyes were hollow. He could see the pain reflected in them, he could see the fury, mixed with a shadow, a ghost of the look that she'd always given him.

He was staring, he realized, and he felt compelled to speak.

"_Happy Birthday Gin."_

He regretted it instantly, watching as the silent fury in her eyes intensified, he was expecting her to yell, but when she spoke, her voice was calm and dripping with sarcasm.

"_Oh yes, a /wonderful/ birthday. It's simply lovely. It's another birthday that you won't be there for, another birthday where I won't get what I want. It's yet another birthday at my parent's house while I try to forget the memories and pretend that I'm happy. It'll no doubt be another birthday where I'll go home and cry onto my pillows, thinking of you and how you broke my heart and destroyed my spirit when you left me! So, yes it's a happy birthday. It's so bloody happy that I hate it!"_

Her voice had risen angrily and the few people in the room were staring at her. Harry was in shock, but before he could say anything, or do anything she threw some money onto the counter and stormed out of the bar into the rain.

He stared in the direction she had gone, watching the door swing shut and close with a slam, his eyes followed her as she left and it only took him a minute to place some money onto the counter and run after her, hoping that she hadn't apparated yet.

"_Ginny…"_

The rain continued to fall down onto them and he saw her, sitting on a bench with her face in her hands. It was a similar feeling to the one he'd felt when he'd left her, this feeling of complete heartbreak as he watched her cry. His heart cracked and he moved toward her and sat down on the bench.

"_Ginny… I…"_

He didn't know what to say, it was his fault she was like this.

"_Go away Harry. Y-you've already made it perfectly clear that you d-don't care about me. If you did, I would have seen you before now. You would have come back, and you would have come home."_

He knew it was stupid, and that it would be destroying everything he'd fought for for the past five years, but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.

"_Shh… don't cry love. Is that what you think? You think that I don't care? It's not true, I do care."_

There was a familiar ache in his chest and he /knew/ that he still loved her, but he wasn't going to tell her.

Ginny leaned against him for a minute, then pulled away and jumped up, just as the rain began to stop. He stood as well, not wanting her to leave. He wanted to fill that gaping hole in his heart, but at the same time he wanted to run away. He wanted to run away and continue trying to forget the past.

"_I'm going home Harry. Goodbye."_

Just as he grabbed her arm, she turned on the spot and disapparated. When they were able to breathe again she turned to him, furious.

"_You left me alone for five years, you haven't bothered to write, and yet you run into me once and suddenly you won't leave me alone! Why are you doing this!"_

He looked at her sheepishly, trying not to flinch at her yelling.

"_I don't know, I just… I should go…"_

Ginny had stopped listening as he rambled on about random things, reasons why he was still talking to her. Was it possible that he did still care? The idea seemed crazy yet… he had followed her, he was there…

"_I'll see you later then."_

He had finally stopped rambling, and was walking away. Wait, he was walking away.

"_Harry!"_

He turned and looked at her, waiting for the yelling.

"_Would you like to come in for some tea?"_

He looked at her, surprised at how pleasant she sounded.

"_After all, it would be nice to know why you haven't bothered to get in touch with me."_

He sighed as he heard the bitterness that had hit her voice; he could remember a time when she spoke warmly to him, a whisper of love on those lips that he was staring at.

"_Yeah, some tea would be fine."_

She nodded and turned away, heading towards the small flat behind her. He followed, feeling a bit like a dog who had run away from home and was about to be yelled at.


	5. Rekindled Feelings

**Chapter 5- Rekindled Feelings**

'_What am I doing? I'm supposed to be trying to forget her, not having tea in her living room!'_

These were the thoughts that ran through Harry's mind as he took a seat on Ginny's couch. The whole house screamed femininity, from the flowers that graced the table, to the scent that lingered in the air. The place was a nice balance of order and chaos, it was purely Ginny. It was clear that she lived alone, and he found his hear swelling because of it. That meant she was not in a serious relationship, if she was in any relationship at all.

Even as a part of him tried to think of an excuse to leave, another part of him was overjoyed at being near her again, even if she was angry, and that was the part of him that was winning.

She looked at him, her face contorted into a half-frown, half-smile as she set two cups of tea on the coffee table. It was like she was having trouble deciding whether she should be happy or not.

"_I'll be right back. I need to go and change into something dry."_

She cast him another half-smile before walking into the next room. Harry sighed, wondering what the chances were that he could escape before she returned. Still, he was completely still as his eyes followed her backside through the door, only moving to glance around the room again when the door closed with a snap.

Ginny sighed softly as she rummaged in her closet. She wanted to look nice, to show him just what he had given up, but she didn't want it to appear obvious that that was what she was doing. She finally decided on and outfit, and after changing into it she started to work on her hair.

Harry was just starting to wonder what could possibly be taking her so long when the door opened and she stepped out. His mouth went dry and his heart began to pound as he took in her appearance greedily.

His first impression when he had seen her in Diagon Alley was a suspicion that she was even more beautiful than she had been five years previous. Now it was clear that he had been mistaken. It was not a suspicion, something he had dreamed up because he was finally near her again, it was a fact.

'_Bloody hell…'_

Her soft red hair was still cascading softly down her back, but now it made a pleasant contrast with the emerald green shirt she was wearing. He ran his eyes over her again, taking in every detail of her appearance, noticing the way her knee length black skirt accented her legs. He dragged his protesting eyes away from her body and to her face as she sat down next to him. He was trying to figure out how she could take such a casual outfit and make it seem so elegant, when she spoke.

"_So… did it work?"_

She sipped her tea, the half-smile fading and a bitter, twisted one replacing it.

"_Did what work?"_

Her twisted smile grew wider; her hurt and anger reflecting clearly in those brown eyes he was drawn to.

"_Did you forget them? Did you forget your past? Did you manage to do it?"_

His heart plummeted at her words, at the bitter resentment in her voice and at the hurt in her eyes. Where was the happy girl that he used to know? Where had the vibrant and giggly redhead gone? She seemed to see his question as he thought it and she sipped her tea again, speaking softly.

"_That girl you used to know? The girl you're looking for? She's gone Harry, you killed her years ago, and you still haven't answered my question."_

He looked at the floor, not wanting to answer her, knowing he would only make it worse if he did. The only problem; she could see the answer on his face.

"_I told you it wouldn't work. I told you that you couldn't forget your past."_

Her voice was still low and he sighed.

"_I know you did. I realize that, but there were other reasons I left."_

She looked at him, her eyes were intense.

"_Tell me. Why did you leave, why didn't you come back?"_

He watched her for a minute.

"_I- I can't tell you, I won't tell you."_

She stared at him, the anger in her eyes growing.

"_Do you love me?"_

It was such a simple question, and it had a devastating impact on him. He did, he did love her… but he couldn't tell her. So, he said nothing.

They stared at each other, a familiar heat building up inside of them, they both tried to fight it, but within seconds they were kissing.

'_What am I doing? He doesn't love me… he doesn't give a damn… he doesn't care…'_

Her mind was telling her to stop, but her body didn't seem to listen.

'_What are you doing? This is Harry… he doesn't love you… he broke your heart…'_

She kissed him deeper, pulling him to her.

'_I need to stop, she doesn't want this…. I don't want this, not anymore… she's part of my past…'_

But Harry wasn't having any luck with stopping either. Finally, Ginny managed to break away, trying to focus as he kissed her neck.

"_Harry… what- what are we doing?"_

It was all she could manage to get out before he brought his face back up to hers, crashing their lips together in a fiery kiss.

"_I don't know… but it feels right…"_

She was lying flat on the couch now, and he shifted so as not to crush her as they kissed. Her mind went haywire with warning.

'_Stop, stop now! This is bad, this is very bad!'_

She didn't listen, too overcome with lust to worry about where they were heading, where this kiss was leading them.

"_T-Tell me you want me…"_

Her voice was choked and she let out a sharp cry as he nipped at her neck, at that sensitive spot just below her ear.

"_I want you…"_

Harry's reply came breathlessly as he captured her lips again.

"_Tell me… tell me you love me…"_

She needed to hear it, she hadn't heard it in so long, and at the moment she was certain that he still did, she waited for the words, expecting them…

"_Oh god Ginny, I…"_

But the words never came. He wanted to tell her, he wanted to say it, a part of him really did, but he was silenced by the part that was too afraid of what would happen, the part that had worked too hard to stay away from his past.

'_So… he wants me… but he doesn't love me…'_

Her eyes rapidly filled with tears at the realization that he hadn't said it. With a strength she didn't know she had, she pushed him off of her and sat up.

"_Get out."_

Those two words just about killed him, and the feeling of guilt, shame and pain washed over him stronger than ever when he realized that she was crying.

"_Ginny, I…"_

He didn't know what to say to her.

"_Get out. You don't love me. You want me, but you don't love me. You are nothing more than a liar. You lied to me five years ago when you said you would always love me; you lied to me before that, when you promised me that we would be together again after it was all over. Now get out of my house!"_

She was shaking with suppressed fury as she stood up, reaching for her wand. Harry had a fleeting image of a marvelous bat-bogey hex and he too stood up.

"_Ginny please, let me explain…"_

She had drawn her wand.

"_Get out."_

He didn't move. He stood there, watching her.

"_Please Gin…"_

Before he knew what was happening he was flying towards the door, it flew open to allow him to leave, and then it slammed shut and he collided painfully with the wet ground. He knew he'd messed up big this time, she was furious enough to force him out of her home. He turned on the spot, apparating back to Grimmauld Place, his haven for the past five years.

He opened the door and walked inside, now he was furious too… furious with himself for being so stupid. He wanted to go back and talk to her, but he knew she wouldn't listen. She was too stubborn.

He collapsed onto a chair, his head in his hands, his mind reliving the kiss. It had been amazing, despite her anger. Somehow, he felt that her anger had made it all the more intense… he sighed, already wondering when he'd see her again, and knowing that the smoldering feelings he'd had for the past five years had rekindled, burning warmer and brighter than ever before.


	6. Flashback

**Chapter 6- Flashback**

"_Ginny?"_

She looked up at him from her spot in the chair, a half smile crossing her face as she looked to him. She shifted slightly in her chair, enough to make room for him as she stared into the crackling flames.

"_Hi Harry."_

He slid into the chair she was in, though there was barely enough room for both of them. The fire was doing amazing things to her hair as she watched it in the dark room. Nearly everyone else had gone to bed, or they had at least gone upstairs. He solved the lack of space by curling his arm around her waist and pulling her into his lap.

"_That battle takes place tomorrow…"_

Ginny took a deep breath as she leaned into him.

"_I know."_

He lowered his head, kissing the skin of her shoulder, which was exposed by the thin straps of the tank top she was wearing to try and escape some of the summer heat.

"_I don't know what will happen…"_

She closed her eyes, feeling his breath on her skin. She'd been fighting tears all day.

"_I know."_

He kissed her collarbone, feeling her shudder at the gentle touch of his lips on her skin.

"_I don't want you there. Please, please stay here. It's too dangerous if you don't."_

She shut her eyes tighter, fighting the tears that were still struggling to break through the barriers that she had set up.

"_But… I don't think I can handle the waiting and worrying."_

He tightened his hold on her, bringing his lips up to her neck.

"_I have to do this Ginny. I have to fight him, and beat him. This is my chance. I can finally end this; I won't have him hanging over me like an enormous shadow, killing everyone I touch… I need to do this so that when it's all over… we can be together, and not have to worry about the danger."_

Ginny nodded, understanding what he was saying.

"_We will be together after this, right?"_

She opened her eyes and shifted in his lap, turning to look at him.

"_Of course we will. You know full well that I wanted to be together months ago…"_

He sighed, he'd heard the argument before, and she'd heard his side.

"_It doesn't matter now. The point is that you need to stay here. I'm not going to put you into anymore danger than is absolutely necessary."_

She bit her lip as she looked at him.

"_Okay, you win. I'll stay."_

He breathed a soft sigh of relief, his eyes being drawn magnetically to hers.

"_Thank you."_

They said nothing for a second, and she leaned in, kissing him gently. He pressed back instantly, this was the first chance they'd had to be alone in months, and the first real kiss they'd shared in a long time. Mostly, they'd been sneaking soft, quick, light kisses when they thought no one was looking. For a second they both pulled away, perfectly content with their current arrangement, then she spoke.

"_After it's over… you promise that we'll be together… right?"_

He kissed her again, a soft, lingering kiss that left her wanting more. So much so, that she whimpered when he pulled away, her lips following his as she leaned in for more.

"_I promise Ginny. After it's over tomorrow… we'll be together. I promise…"_

Ginny smiled softly, turning her attention back to the fire as she rested her back comfortably against his chest. They fell asleep that way, Ginny in his lap and Harry's arms around her. He woke her up with a swift kiss, and left her with a soft murmur goodbye and two promises. One was that he would return, the other was that when he did, they would be together.


	7. Emotional Wounds

**Chapter 7- Emotional Wounds**

A soft sob could be heard from a green valley as the sun set, casting shadows over the place, and bouncing off of the crimson waves of hair that were clearly visible against the green grass of the place. The young woman let out another sob, nearly hidden by the stone wall that she was leaning against. The overgrown grass brushed against her legs, which were half covered by a soft black skirt that fell to her knees. She had been here for the past two hours or so, trying to sort out her thoughts, crying on and off.

She had come here often over the past five years, because this was where they had shared their last happy moment, before the Aurors had come and ushered them away. Ginny Weasley was glad the rain had stopped as she pulled her knees up to her chest, burying her face in them. She heard the crack, but didn't move. She could sense him, and she knew who it was.

The sounds of his footsteps paused, most likely he had seen her, and was trying to decide what to do.

"_Run Harry. You filthy, disgusting coward."_

He said nothing, and continued towards her, sitting next to her against the wall, but not too close to her, because he could see her wand in her pocket and remembered her extraordinary talents when it came to hexing people.

"_No. I really need to talk to you."_

Ginny bit her lip, not looking at him.

"_What is there to say? You don't love me."_

He sighed.

"_I never said that."_

She looked at him, eyes flashing dangerously again.

"_Exactly. You didn't say anything, and that was enough."_

He wasn't sure what to say to that, the only thing that could fix it would be the truth, and he wasn't ready to tell her the truth yet.

"_What are you doing here?"_

Ginny sighed, looking to her knees again.

"_I've come here a lot over the past five years. It's a good place to forget the memories, and it's peaceful. No one would ever guess that there was once a major battle here… that battle changed our lives Harry... that battle changed you."_

He nodded.

"_I know it did…You know what? I've never come here before, the memories are too much for me to handle."_

She looked back to him.

"_Why is it so hard for you? I understand that you've lost a lot of people in your lifetime, and that Ron and Hermione were your best friends, but what does that have to do with you leaving. What did that have to do with us?"_

She was desperate for answers, desperate for understanding.

"_It's my fault they died Ginny… I shouldn't have allowed them to come… it was my fault, and the spell that killed Malfoy… it was aimed at you. You could have died Ginny, and it would have been my fault…"_

Ginny sighed as he trailed off.

"_But I didn't die. Everything happens for a reason Harry. If I was meant to die, I would have died, but I didn't. I'm still here, and all I want is for us to be together."_

He looked at her, absorbing her words as he reached out a trembling hand to cup her face. She pressed her cheek into it, closing her eyes and letting out a soft sigh.

"_I just… I can't Ginny. It's too-"_

But he was cut off.

"_It's too what? Surely you don't think it's too dangerous?"_

He watched as her eyes opened, searching his face for answers.

"_Yes Ginny. I do think it's too dangerous."_

He was taken by surprise when she stood up. Immediately that familiar feeling of emptiness hit him at the abrupt loss of her touch.

"_Why is it dangerous? He's gone Harry. You killed him. He's gone and his supporters are either captured or inactive. There is no danger!"_

He stood up as well, watching her face. He could remember when those chocolate brown eyes burned with love, not anger.

"_Exactly Ginny! An extreme act of evil, that's what killing is, and I did it! I don't deserve you anymore."_

She stared at him for a minute, and then shook her head; issuing a bitter laugh and looking as though she would love to do nothing more than slap him.

"_You had to Harry! You're the only person who could have done it! That doesn't make you like him! You killed him because you had to; otherwise you never would have been able to live! Do you remember what you told me the night before the battle?"_

He sighed heavily.

"_Of course I do."_

This only seemed to make her angrier.

"_If you remember than why can't you do this?"_

He looked away from her.

"_I'm not the man that you used to know Ginny. I'm not the same person who made that promise. I'm not…"_

He trailed off, still avoiding her gaze. He didn't see her chin tremble, he didn't see the single pearly white teardrop make its way down her cheek, but he did hear her as she spoke.

"_You're not in love with me anymore."_

He heard how soft her voice was, how weak she sounded, as though she was losing her will to keep going. He looked up at her, and the minute he saw her tears he moved towards her and pulled her into his arms. He was only mildly surprised when she didn't pull away.

"_That's not true."_

She drew in a shuddering breath.

"_You say it's not true… if it's not true, why can't you say those three little words? If it's not true, why can't you tell me that you love me?"_

He sighed, and then buried his face in her hair. The scent of roses was still there, but just barely, as though she didn't put as much effort into her appearance as she used to.

"_Because I'm scared."_

Ginny let out an exasperated sigh of annoyance, and Harry grinned, though she couldn't see it.

"_The danger is gone! What are you so afraid of?"_

She still hadn't pulled away from him.

"_I'm afraid of myself. I /killed/ someone Ginny. I'm afraid of the memories, afraid of the past. I can't handle it all. I can't handle remembering Ron and Hermione, Sirius, Dumbledore…"_

He tightened his hold on her, as though he was afraid she was going to pull away.

"_I know that it hurts Harry. You've been wounded, both physically and emotionally. Your physical wounds healed, but it's the emotional ones that are dangerous. Emotional wounds are the hardest to heal, but we /can/ heal them. All it takes is some help on your part. Running, cutting yourself off from everybody else will do nothing but make it harder. Love can save you, love can heal you, but only if you let it."_

Her words impacted him in a way he could not describe, and he couldn't think of anything to say a she lifted her head out of his hair, his eyes drawn magnetically to hers.

"_Do you love me?"_

He didn't answer at first, then…

"_Yes, but that has nothing to do with here and now. I don't deserve you, and… it'll be better if I just leave."_

To her horror, he pulled away, kissing her lightly.

"_Harry… please. Please don't do this to me, don't do this to yourself…"_

He looked at her sadly. Suddenly, he realized that their hands were connected, their fingers entwined, and he pulled his hand from hers.

"_I'm sorry Gin, but I can't do this…"_

She didn't even get to protest; he turned on the spot and vanished.

Ginny stood in a stunned silence for a moment, before she too turned and vanished.

'_If that's the way he wants it, then fine. If he loves me, but won't act on that love, then he doesn't deserve me, and I will not wait for him anymore… it's time for me to move on.'_

She let out a small sob as she collapsed onto her couch. She had finally accepted it. Their relationship had actually come to an end.


	8. Forbidden Love

**Chapter 8- Forbidden Love**

A black robed figure could be seen lurking in the shadows near Ginny Weasley's flat. For weeks now he'd been watching her, observing her. His orders had been clear; target the youngest Weasley.

In the beginning he had been unsure of why he was watching her, unsure of why he was going to die for taking her. Something had told him that if he did take her, as he had been ordered to, he would die. He wanted to be sure she was worth it, because if not, he would simply run. He could hide, he knew people who had hidden before.

She was definitely worth it. He had seen each of her exchanges with Harry Potter, and it was now very clear what her uses would be. Little Miss Weasley was the missing link. She was the link to Harry Potter.

Night had fallen, which meant that his time to strike had come. He pulled out his wand and crept toward her flat, careful to remain hidden and careful not to draw attention to himself. One of the porch steps creaked and he paused, listening for signs of movement from inside the flat, after all, one could never be too careful… especially in his position. He heard none and after a second or two he reached the door. Sure enough, it was locked.

"_Alohamora."_

He opened the door slowly, looking inside of the house. The living room and kitchen were dark, and there was a door at the far end of the room that was close, light streaming through the crack. He moved toward it quickly, wand held out, prepared to fight.

There was no one in the room when he opened the door. He saw a large bed and a dresser and other items that are often seen in bedrooms, but the one thing, or shall we say person that he was after was not there. He glanced around and spotted another door, the sounds of running water coming from it. Now he understood, she was taking a shower before bed.

"_Perfect."_

He sat on her bed, and when he looked over at the bedside table he saw her wand. Within seconds the wand was in his pocket, and he continued to look around the room as he waited.

The door opened and Ginny came out, a towel wrapped tightly around her body, her hair a mess.

"_What the- ?"_

He stood up, pointing his wand at her.

"_We're leaving."_

His voice was firm as he grabbed her arm. She jerked away, still holding the towel in place.

"_What do you want?"_

She glanced around for her wand, and her eyes grew wide as he pulled it from his pocket.

"_It's not what I want my dear, it's what someone else wants."_

Ginny edged toward her dresser, clearly showing signs of wanting to get some clothes, but the man seemed to have decided that it was not worth the risk, for he pointed her own wand at he and muttered a spell under his breath. Suddenly her towel snapped tightly around her body and was held in place as he grabbed her arm.

"_There's no time for that."_

Ginny glared at him, trying to pull away, but he managed to drag her forward into the next room, where she continued to struggle, and knocking things over in the process. Finally, the man stunned her.

"_I told you that we didn't have much time."_

His voice was soft as he lifted her limp body into his arms, casting a charm on them so that they would be invisible. His hood was lowered in the process, revealing a man with a handsome face and dark brown hair. He lowered his head a fraction of an inch over her face. He had become too attached over these weeks of watching her; he had fallen in love with her.

His lips brushed against hers softly, savoring the taste of the woman he knew he could never have. He could still clearly remember the jealousy that had been burning inside of him when he saw her kiss Harry a few weeks back. He could remember the hatred that had built up inside of him, hatred toward Harry for making her cry.

Of course, this was the problem. Her fate was already set, and it was a fate that would make it impossible for him to have her. So, he would have to content himself with a few soft kisses. He had a feeling that she knew what he was doing, but he did not seem to care. He was a dead man anyway.

"_I'm going to die tonight Ginny, and it's going to be your fault… all your fault."_

With those last words, spoken quietly from his lips, he carried her out of the house. He only had a few minutes to take her to where she would be held, and he didn't want to be late.


	9. Regrets, Longing, and Bad News

**Chapter 9- Regrets, Longing, and Bad News**

Back and forth, back and forth. Harry Potter was pacing again. He had been doing so for the past week, ever since he'd left Ginny alone in the former battlefield. What if she hadn't made it home? What if something had happened to her? What if…

The regrets were filling him, causing him to ache with worry. He was constantly going over the things that he now regretted, her words ringing through his mind. Maybe… maybe Ginny had been right. Was he really right to run away from her? She was the one thing that had always brought him comfort, both before the battle and after it, before he had left her.

Maybe… maybe being with her was worth the possibility of endangering her. After all, things were safer now. There had been no activities linked to Dark Magic in years. He sighed, trying to sort out his thoughts.

Of course, even if he did change his mind, she'd never take him back. What sort of girl would be foolish enough to take him back after everything he'd done to her? Then again, this was not just any girl.

A distraction was provided in the form of a tapping sound at his window. He moved to it and recognized the owl that always brought The Daily Prophet. After paying the owl he headed across the room again, this time to a chair. Maybe reading the Prophet could stop him thinking about Ginny.

"_Someone's missing…"_

The second page of the paper had an article about a missing St. Mungos employee. He scanned the article quickly. She hadn't come to work for three days, and when someone went in to her house to see if she was alright, they had found her gone and signs of a struggle present. Then he saw it.

"_Ginny Weasley's family prays for her safe return…"_

His heart stopped and his blood ran cold. All thought seemed to have vanished from his brain, replaced by fear. She was missing… he scanned the rest of the article.

"_No leads were found, nor have any been reported… if you have any information…"_

Harry threw the paper aside, standing up. There had to be something. There had to be something that the Auror's had missed, and if there was, he would find it.

He left the house quickly, apparating to her flat and heading up to it. He pushed on the door, surprised to find that it was unlocked. Upon entering it, the first thing he noticed was that the Prophet had reported it properly. There were clear signs of a struggle, things were overturned and knocked over… he vaguely wondered why no one had cleared it up, before heading back into her bedroom.

As he entered the room, it struck him odd that there was nothing out of place. Surely Ginny had struggled before they reached the main room? He glanced around; there was nothing out of the ordinary, he was sure of it. He glanced at her bed and spotted a picture lying on her pillow. He glanced at it, and then looked closer. It was a picture of the Riddle House.

After studying it for a second, he realized that nothing in the picture was moving, as was normal with wizards.

"_What is going on?"_

Then he saw it. The picture was moving, but the house and areas surrounding it were still. Up in a corner of the picture there was a window, and in the window was…

"_Ginny!"_

He turned the picture over, to see three words scribbled onto the back.

"_Help me Harry."_

He read them aloud, his heart clenching. How long ago had this been taken? What if… what she was…

He shoved the picture into the pocket, deciding not to think about it. He moved out of her bedroom and into the living room, where he cleared up some of the mess. Then he headed back into the street and apparated.

A few minutes later he landed in a clearing not too far from the house. He knew the clearing well, he had been there before. It was the safest way to the Riddle House. The last he knew, you could not apparate to it, so he would have to walk. The Riddle House had held a Horcrux at one point in time and with a sigh and his wand held out, invisibility cloaked in a bag that he had taken from Grimmauld Place when he had gone back for the cloak. He pulled out the picture again and looked at it, his eyes drawn to the mane of flaming red hair in the corner.

"_I'm coming Ginny."_

Then, with those last words, he headed towards the house.


	10. The New Evil

**Chapter 10- The New Evil**

Bright brown eyes scanned the grounds of the Riddle House, a pale hand reached up to brush flaming red hair behind her ear. Ginny Weasley had been trapped in this room for three days now, waiting and wondering. She still didn't know who had ordered her capture, but she did know who had done the capturing.

His name was Mark, and he had been kind. He had talked to her, given her food and some clothes; he had even gone so far as to tell her that she was to be used in some sort of ritual. Ginny was certain that he would have told her more, provided he had been given the chance.

Only a few hours after their arrival, it had been discovered that Mark was telling her of the plans. He had been killed right before her very eyes, in the doorway that her back was now facing.

She wondered who was coming for her… if anyone was. Did anyone even know that she was gone? If they did know, were they aware of where she was? If someone was coming… would it be Harry?

She suppressed a laugh at the image of his face upon finding out. She could only imagine how panicked he must have been, after all, he wanted to protect her… and if she was missing… well, that was far from being safe and protected.

The door at the far side of the room opened and Ginny bolted away from the window, turning to look at it.

"_Put this on."_

Green fabric was thrown into the room, and then the door snapped shut again. She moved toward the pile of fabric, wondering what she was supposed to wear.

"_No way."_

She stared at the clothing. It was a green silk nightdress with lace around the collar and edges. The straps were small, and the dress was short. She knew that when she put it on, it would only go to about midthigh. She was trying not to imagine what they possibly wanted her in this dress for, when the door opened.

_"Hurry up!"_

Then it shut again. Whoever was outside seemed to know that she was not changing, which meant that they were watching her… and that thought did not comfort her at all. So, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do, she put the little dress on. Immediately after, the door opened.

"_Now come on. He's ready for you."_

Ginny snorted, but didn't move.

"_It's about time. I've been here for three days."_

The man stared at her.

"_Let's go."_

She still didn't move, so he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her towards the door. She jerked away from him when they reached the corridor. He was not going to treat her this way.

"_I can walk thank you very much!"_

The man just smirked.

"_Then follow me, and don't think of running, because there are other people watching you."_

She looked around, and indeed there were. So she sighed and followed him down the hall.

* * *

Harry Potter stumbled out of the clearing; The Riddle House was now in view. His eyes immediately moved towards the window in the top left corner of the house. There she was, turning away from the window and walking away from it. Had she seen him? If she had seen him, was she upset that he was the one who had come?

As he walked towards the house he began to pull his invisibility cloak on, all the time beginning to wonder. Maybe he should have contacted the Auror office. He had planned on it, but somehow the idea of rescuing Ginny by himself had its merits… or maybe he was just stupid.

Nonetheless, he headed quickly and quietly into the house. A small pang hit him as he remembered that the last time he had been in this dusty old place, Ron and Hermione had been with him and he was searching for a Horcrux.

He moved quickly to the stairs, the entire bottom floor seemed empty. Above him he could hear feet moving up and down halls, and in various rooms… one of those people could be Ginny.

As he reached the top of the stairs a familiar voice rang out.

"_I can walk thank you very much!"_

He breathed a sigh of relief, even though he had seen her in the window, hearing her voice was even better. Still invisible, he moved onto the landing, scanning the hallway for Ginny, and upon seeing her, his mouth became dry.

"_Bloody hell…"_

The sight of her in that nightdress was enough to make him insane, and just as he was beginning to picture scenarios of the two of them that would involve her in that particular garment, he remembered that he was supposed to be saving her, and he followed as they headed down the hall.

The man leading her pointed her towards the door, and he couldn't help but grin as she showed her stubbornness, refusing to go in. He slipped inside before she did, and when the door closed he glanced around the room.

There was a large bed pushed against a wall, looking rather clean and impressive, a fireplace was crackling merrily, the blinds on the window were shut, and there was a cup of some unknown substance sitting on the bedside table. He watched Ginny sigh, looking around with an expression that clearly showed fear and confusion.

He moved toward her, pulling the cloak off as he went. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, and she was faced with an impulse to yell at him, but then he pulled her into his arms and she forgot all about it, sinking into his warmth.

"_I- I was starting to think that no one would come."_

Her voice shook slightly as she spoke, and he had a feeling that she was resisting the urge to cry.

"_Of course someone was going to come. You didn't think I would just ignore the fact tat you were missing did you?"_

Ginny mumbled something that Harry couldn't hear, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it or not, so he didn't ask her to repeat it. Instead, he lifted her chin and kissed her softly, all ideas that it was too dangerous, that he couldn't be with her vanishing completely.

Ginny was surprised at first, but after a second she kissed him back, her arms moving around his neck. She deepened the kiss and moved closer to him, forgetting that she was angry at him, and forgetting that they were both in the middle of an unknown room.

After a second more, Harry pulled away.

_"Let's get you out of here Ginny."_

He reached for the discarded cloak, prepared to pull it over them, when a door at the other end of the room opened, and a man stepped into view. Harry tried to determine why he hadn't noticed the door earlier.

_"Now Mr. Potter… you can't take her away. I'm not finished with her yet."_


	11. David

**Chapter 11- David**

Harry stared at this man who had just entered the room, not even bothering to step away from Ginny. He was furious. This man had taken her, and the way he was looking at her… he could sense that naughty thoughts running through his brain as this man's eyes traveled over Ginny. His Ginny. No, she used to be his Ginny…

"_What do you want with her?"_

The man smiled.

"_I think you know Potter, because what I want with her… It's the same thing that you want with her."_

The man pulled out his wand, and before Harry or Ginny could react, she was moving towards him. Ginny's first thought was that she was under the Imperius curse, but then she remembered that those acting under the Imperius curse were unaware of what they were doing… in the beginning at least.

"_You see Potter. I've been planning this for months, searching the country for a suitable young woman… I came across Ginny before I even knew that she was connected with you, and I must say that I was pleased when I found out."_

Harry's eyes moved over this man, his hair was blonde, his eyes were blue, and there was no denying that he was attractive. Harry's fury was mounting as he watched him grab Ginny's arm when she was level with him, but he couldn't seem to move. He was afraid that any sudden movement would put Ginny into more danger.

"_Who are you? And what sorts of plans are you talking about?"_

The man smirked.

"_My name is David, and as for my plans… do you honestly think I'm going to tell you? Don't you think that it would be better… if I showed you?"_

To both Harry and Ginny's horror, David leaned down and kissed her. Harry's blood was boiling, as David did not pull away after a few seconds. Harry raised his wand, but David shifted, placing Ginny in front of him. Harry swore silently. There was no way he could hex this guy… not without hurting Ginny as well.

Finally, David pulled away from her, forcing her onto the bed. Ropes shot out, binding her there and she let out a cry of pain as they tightened around her wrists.

"_Let her go."_

Harry's voice was hard, it was a command, and it only made David smile even more.

"_I don't think so. You see, there is a ritual that will take place tonight, and it has to take place tonight. The Ritual will make me immortal, stronger than the Dark Lord himself… and sweet little Ginny is going be one of the stars. You see, I require a virgin... one who's pureblood at that. Of course, the fact that Ginny is simply gorgeous is what ultimately helped me in choosing her."_

Ginny's voice rang out from on the bed.

"_How do you know that I'm still a virgin?"_

David turned to her, smirking.

"_There is a charm that is used. One of my followers went into St. Mungo's one day and did it. I've been watching you since. I must say, when Potter came along I was afraid that he would ruin everything… but he is so /noble/ that he continued to push you away… fighting the urge to do the one thing that would have made you safe…"_

Harry stared, he couldn't believe this. This was completely crazy.

"_What does this Ritual involve, exactly?"_

It was Ginny who was speaking, fear evident in her voice.

"_Well, I will have to take your innocence my dear… and you will get the honor of fathering my child. Of course, you will have to willingly give yourself to me for it to work."_

Harry's blood was boiling again, and he was about to speak, but Ginny beat him to it.

"_Well it won't work then, because I will /never/ give myself to you!"_

David smirked.

"_Of course you will. See that potion over there? Can you guess what's in it?"_

This time it was Harry who answered.

"_Amortentia."_

David smiled.

"_Exactly. Now, Mr. Potter, I think it's time for our little chat to end. I have business to take care of…"_

He reached for his wand, only to find that it was gone. His eyes moved to Harry.

"_What did you do?"_

Harry was bewildered, and it showed. He hadn't done anything.

"_Oh David… I believe that you're looking for this?"_

Ginny's wrist was still bound to the bed, but that did not stop her from holding David's wand in her hand.

David moved toward her.

"_How did you get ahold of it? Your wand is in the drawer in the bedside table!"_

Ginny smirked as Harry inched toward said table.

"_Well, over the years I've become quite accomplished at wandless magic…"_

As she said it, the ropes binding her came undone.

"_You see, I could have escaped a long time ago, but I was curious as to who had ordered my capture. My suggestion is that the next time you choose a girl to take part in your sick plan, choose one who's not very smart."_

Harry had spent the last few minutes with his wand pointed at David, prepared to say those two fatal words, but found he couldn't do it, not again.

"_Stupefy!"_

David fell to the floor, and Harry threw Ginny her wand.

"_Wandless magic?"_

Ginny smirked.

"_I had to come up with something. By the way, quick thinking, untying the ropes like that."_

Harry nodded. He could see the sadness in her eyes, he could see the tears that were hidden by her cheerful demeanor, and he could see that he eyes were still hollow and cold. He wanted to bring that light, that sparkle back, but he wasn't entirely sure how, and now was not the time, nor the place.

"_Come on Gin. Let's go."_

He took her hand, threw the cloak over them, and walked out of the room. He stunned anyone who got in the way, and once they were outside he pulled the cloak off, looking at her.

"_Are you okay?"_

She nodded, biting her lip.

"_I'm fine. Let's go."_

He leaned in to kiss her again, but she jerked away. With a defeated sigh, he led her away from the house to a point where they could Disapparate, wondering if their relationship was broken beyond repair.


	12. I Promise

**Chapter 12- I Promise**

The last of the Aurors were finally leaving. Harry had alerted them the minute they had gotten back to Ginny's flat. Some had come and questioned the duo; others had gone to the Riddle house to gather those who had remained there… and to bring David into custody.

Harry was furious with himself. By pushing Ginny away, he had put her in danger. It was his fault David had ordered her capture, it was his fault he had nearly taken her… and he had a feeling that this time, Ginny wouldn't be telling him that it wasn't his fault.

"_I'm going to take a shower. You can leave if you want to. I'll be fine."_

Ginny wasn't looking at him, she hadn't looked at him since they'd gotten back, and it hurt more than he could ever imagine.

"_Right."_

She nodded and disappeared into the back bedroom.

He let out a sigh, sitting down on her couch. He had no intentions of leaving. For once, he was not going to run from his feelings. He was not going to run from her. He was going to apologize for everything, for leaving her, for making her cry, for pushing her away… for never having the Gryffindor courage to tell the truth… for never being able to admit that he loved her.

He did love her; it was scary to him how much he loved her. He knew that if he really had blown it, if she wouldn't take him back… he would die. He couldn't live without her, and he didn't want to try. If she said no, if she said that it was too late, he would keep coming, he would beg her, plead with her. One last chance. One last chance was all he wanted. She hadn't ever really given up on him, and he wasn't going to give up on her.

"_You're still here."_

For the second time Ginny's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. She still wasn't looking at him. She was bent over, pretending to pick something up off of the ground and set it on a shelf. It was about eight 'o' clock at night, and she was wearing a pair of pajama pants and a loose t-shirt. He hair was wet and didn't look like it had been brushed yet… he was sure that he had never seen anyone more beautiful.

"_Yeah… did you really think I would leave? You know me better than that Gin."_

He was grinning slightly, but when she turned to look at him he stopped instantly. Her eyes were dead, more hollow than they had been before, completely void of anything other than pain and anger. The bitter resentment was seeping out of her, and he instantly knew that he was going to get it now…

But it didn't come. Instead, she turned away from him again and he saw her shoulders shaking. It was then that he realized just how fragile she was. Ginny had always been strong, rarely ever seeming to waver, and hardly ever crying.

He thought about how often she had cried these past few weeks and his heart sank. It seemed like without him around, without him or Ron or Hermione, she wasn't strong. Harry was her last tie to the happiness of her past, the last tie to those giggly nights with Hermione… he was the reason she could stay strong, and without him… she was weak.

"_Ginny…"_

His voice was soft and gentle as he stood up and moved behind her, slipping his arms around her comfortingly.

"_I'm sorry Ginny… I'm so sorry… I never wanted to hurt you."_

She broke away, turning to him with her eyes blazing.

"_But you did hurt me! You knew you were hurting me! And no, I don't know you! Not anymore! I- I used to! I used t-to know y-you… but now… you're- you're a stranger to me."_

Her voice softened as she neared the end of her sentence and she broke down again, moving away from him and towards the couch. Harry followed.

"_That's not true. You do know me. You may not know about the past five years of my life, but you do know me. You know me better than I know myself Ginny, and I think… I think that you know that."_

She looked down at the floor, a part of her knew that it was true, but she wasn't going to give in. He had spent so much time pushing her away from him…

"_I don't want to get hurt Harry and you- you're the only one that can hurt me this way. I need someone… I need someone safe, someone who can't tear me apart… I need…"_

She cut off, and he looked over at her.

"_No, you don't need those things. You need someone strong, someone who appreciates you for who you are, you need someone who thinks you're beautiful in pajama bottoms and a loose t-shirt. Someone who thinks you're stunning without makeup and with your hair a mess. You need someone who thinks that you're strong and smart and free spirited, but knows that you're soft and gentle… and fragile. You need someone who can handle your temper, who can keep you in line when you lose it. You need someone hotheaded and reckless and just as stubborn as you are… you need… you need all of that, plus so much more."_

She looked at him.

"_And who do you know… who do you know that is all of those things? Who do you know that can know all of that?"_

He smiled wryly.

"_Me. I know it all Ginny. I know I've been a jerk, I know that I've hurt you… and it was stupid. I was so afraid of the past, so afraid of myself that I couldn't realize that what I really needed was right in front of me, but I know it now. I know that the one person who can heal me, who can make me feel better… is sitting right across form me, with flaming red hair and brown eyes and pale skin and freckles… I need you Ginny, and I think… I think that you need me too."_

His hand traveled to hers, his thumb running over the top of her hand.

"_Please Ginny. Please give me one last chance. I won't ever hurt you again, I swear it. I- I don't think that I can handle walking out of here knowing that I messed up so badly that you wouldn't take me back. I can't handle knowing that I screwed it up so badly that… that you don't love me anymore."_

She looked to the floor, and back to his eyes.

"_I- I can't…"_

He sighed, squeezing her hand.

"_I won't give up on this Ginny. I'll wait for you… I'll wait for you to be ready to give me another chance. You didn't give up on me Gin, and I'm not going to give up on you. Ever."_

She bit her lip, looking down at their hands as he laced their fingers together. She so badly wanted to believe everything he was saying. Her mind flitted over everything that had happened in the past few weeks. The love in his eyes that had always been hiding was now clear, shining through to her, but still… what if he…

"_I don't think I can…"_

Harry lifted her hand to his mouth, kissing it.

"_Ginny please. You have to believe me… I love you too much to walk out of here knowing that I've lost you…"_

Ginny froze, looking up at him.

"_What?"_

He sighed.

"_I love you Ginny. I know it's been a long time since you've heard me say those words, but I do love you… I love you so much Ginny…"_

She looked at him.

"_Promise me something."_

He nodded.

"_Anything."_

A flicker of a smile crossed her face.

"_Promise me… promise me that you'll never break a promise to me again."_

He nodded.

"_I promise."_

She smiled a bit more, leaning in and kissing him. He kissed her back, finally feeling his heart fall back into place. He'd done it. He'd come up with something to say that would make her forgive him… she'd forgiven him… and that was more than enough.

**/Author's Note/**

**One more chapter to go! I hope you're liking the fact that I'm getting these up so quickly, and making them long at that. I'm considering a sequel… I've left it wide open for one if I ever feel like it… I'll let you know if I decide. Please review!**

**- Kyla**


	13. The Way I Want It

**Chapter 13- The Way I Want It**

She smiled softly at her reflection in the mirror. It was hard to believe that six months ago, she had thought she would never see herself in a dress like this. Her flaming red hair was set into a loose bun on top of her head, and a necklace of pearls graced her neck. Her hand moved to her dress, fidgeting nervously as she looked at herself.

After a second she let her hair out of the bun, watching as it fell in loose curls down her back, making an apparent contrast with the white dress. Still, even as she smiled at herself, happily thinking of the end of the night, when she would finally be Mrs. Potter, it faded slightly.

The fact still remained that Luna Lovegood was not supposed to be the maid of honor at this wedding. Hermione was supposed to be in that spot. Ginny sighed softly, wondering what Hermione would say to her if she was here right now. It was times like these that really made Ginny think about how much she missed her… but you can't change the past.

Suddenly this room was too much for Ginny to bear. How many times had she and Hermione fallen asleep in this room after a long chat about how they felt about certain boys? How many times had she tried to get Hermione to tell her what was going on whenever the trio began to plan things that she was left out of? Wasn't it in this very room that Hermione had said that Harry was right, and that she should not go with them when they went to look for the Horcruxes?

A single tear slid down Ginny's cheek as she thought about it all. She could still hear Hermione's laughter echoing off of the walls… she brushed the tear away quickly. She was supposed to be happy today. This was not a day to dwell on memories of her best friend, ones that would eventually lead her to tears. After all, Hermione would want her to be happy, not crying.

The door opened, and Ginny turned to look at the newcomer, only to let out a squeal and reach for the blanket on the bed next to her, in order to cover up her dress.

"_Out! Get out now! It's bad luck! Get out!"_

She moved forward, awkwardly trying to hide her dress and push him out at the same time.

"_But Gin…"_

Ginny looked at him, and seeing that he had not done up his tie properly, sighed.

"_Close your eyes."_

She couldn't help but smile as Harry obeyed and she let the blanket drop as her hands moved to his tie.

"_Now, what was this about bad luck?"_

He was grinning and she rolled her eyes.

"_It's bad luck for you to see me in my dress before the wedding, and you know that we don't need anymore bad luck than we've already had."_

She let her hands drop, instead lacing them through his and leading him towards the bed to sit down.

"_Ah, well no one bothered to tell me that."_

She giggled softly.

"_It's common knowledge Harry."_

He grinned, squeezing her hand.

"_Not for me."_

She laughed, letting go of his hands and slipping her arms around his neck.

"_Neville knows what he's supposed to do, right?"_

Harry nodded, his arms moving around her waist, despite the fact that his eyes were sill closed.

"_Yeah, he does… I think he knows that he's not supposed to be the best man though."_

She nodded, sighing softly.

"_It's the same with Luna… she knows she's doing the wrong job."_

He said nothing, unable to think of anything to say.

"_What do you think Ron and Hermione would say if they were here?"_

He sighed, shaking his head again.

"_I'm sure they'd be happy for us Gin. You know that they wanted us to be together eventually… even Ron."_

She laughed slightly.

"_He'd probably be giving you a lecture right about now, telling you that you had better not hurt me…"_

He frowned.

"_I'd hate to see what he'd have done if he'd seen how badly I hurt you a few months ago…"_

She looked at him, leaning in and kissing him.

"_It's okay Harry. You were doing what you thought was best, I understand that completely."_

He shook his head.

"_That's no excuse… I'd promised you that we would be together…"_

She sighed softly.

"_Open your eyes love."_

He frowned again.

"_I thought it was bad luck."_

She giggled.

"_Look at my face, only my face."_

He opened his eyes, his frown turning into a grin at the sight of her face.

"It's okay Harry. Yes, you did break a promise, and yes… you did hurt me… but it doesn't matter. You're here now, and in a few minutes… we'll be getting married. That's the way we wanted it, right?"

He nodded.

"_Yeah, it is."_

She smiled.

"_Exactly."_

He kissed her gently.

"_How about we promise to just never bring it up again?"_

She smiled.

"_Deal."_

He was about to say something else when the door opened.

"_Ginny dear, the wedding is due to… what in Merlin's name is going on in here! Ginevra Weasley, I thought I told you that it was bad luck! Harry, close your eyes, don't look at her!"_

Ginny giggled slightly as her mother began panicking.

"_It's alright Mum, I made him close his eyes."_

Her mother reached for his arm, leading him away as Harry hurriedly shut his eyes.

"_No, it most certainly is not alright! Now, finish getting ready and head downstairs. Harry, come on. They need you out there."_

Ginny couldn't help but giggle again as her mother led him from the room. She moved over to the mirror once more, looking at her reflection again.

"_This will be the final promise… there's no going back after this."_

She smiled softly to herself after she said it.

"_And that's just the way I want it."_

**/Author's Note/**

**And that's the end. If I decide to do a sequel, which is very likely, I will say so on my profile and the first chapter will be up sometime within the next few days. I appreciate all of the encouraging reviews ((with special thanks to ladyBlue Wolf for following through the whole story and reviewing each chapter.)) So with that, I bid you farewell for now. Please review this chapter!**

**- Kyla**


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